LSU softball had one of its best recruiting classes sign to officially be Tigers this past signing day.
The Tigers landed six recruits from around the nation.
The class is “one of the strongest classes to sign with LSU and one of the strongest in the country in the 2024 class,” head coach Beth Torina said.
Sa’Mya Jones
Jones is an elite player from Pearland, Texas.
The utility player and pitcher is tied as the No. 2 overall ranked recruit and No. 1 ranked middle infielder in the class of 2024.
Jones ended her summer as a Hotshot with a .485 batting average, 10 home runs and 12 stolen bases.
She ended her 2023 high school season with a .475 batting average and .571 on-base percentage. With 38 hits, 34 RBIs and 42 runs, she had attention from schools all over the nation.
However, Jones wanted to make the best decision for herself.
“I wanted a school that wanted me as bad as I wanted them,” Jones said.
Before making her final decision to come to LSU, Jones had over 20 other Division I offers including Tennessee, Stanford and Washington.
Although Jones knew that she wanted LSU early on, her father encouraged her to tour the schools to be sure of her decision. However, her immediate connection with Torina made her decision fairly easy.
“I can earn any spot I wanted to go after, and she gave me the feeling that she expects me to earn it,” Jones said. “I like that.”
Jayden Heavener
Heavener is a utility pitcher out of Pensacola, Florida, and arguably one of LSU’s best commits.
The joint second-ranked player in her recruiting class, Heavener is one of the best pitchers in the country and will help LSU’s program become more elite.
During her time at Pace High School, Heavener was named the FACA 6A player of the year.
In addition to the award, she led her team to an 18-2 season with 300 strikeouts and a .19 ERA in 127.2 innings pitched.
Among the games, Heavener had 10 shutouts, six no hitters and three perfect games.
It doesn’t end there.
Heavener is the class of 2024’s top-ranked pitcher duo, meaning that she’s a pitcher who plays another position or hits at an elite level. For Heavener, her hitting makes her such a valuable player.
Heavener ended her 2023 season with a .459 batting average, 39 hits, 33 RBIs, an .823 slugging percentage and seven home runs.
LSU landing a commit like Heavener will elevate its program to new heights.
“I think in my heart, I always knew where I wanted to be, but now I have no doubt at all,” Heavener said. “I knew I wanted to be an LSU Tiger on Sept. 1.”
Jada Phillips
Phillips, a Florida native, is a catcher and utility player from Braden River High School.
She ended the 2023 season tied as the No. 2 recruit overall and the highest ranked catcher in the class of 2024.
In her junior year, Phillips had a .479 batting average, 34 hits and 28 stolen bases. She ended her summer with a .522 batting average and .620 on base percentage.
Lightning quick, Phillips has a 2.68 home-to-first speed, allowing her to go 18 for 18 in steals during her time with the Mustangs over the summer of 2023.
Zoe Calvez
Calvez is an outfielder from West Orange High School.
She was named a FHSAA 7A All-State player after ending her 2023 season with a .420 batting average and 25 stolen bases.
She was also selected for the 2023 PGF All American futures team and was part of a three-time FHSAA 7A All Metro and District Softball team.
Calvez ended her summer with the Hotshots with a .417 batting average, .550 on-base percentage and 16 stolen bases.
Tied as the No. 9 overall recruit and No. 4 outfielder, Calvez had a multitude of schools to choose from.
“I went to a lot of different SEC, ACC and Big 10 schools/camps in and out of Florida,” Calvez said. “But ultimately, LSU was the one that stuck out to me the most and felt was the best fit for me.”
Calvez felt comfortable at LSU with Phillips as a previous teammate and Jones as a familiar face since they attended camps together.
As a Tiger, Calvez plans to “exceed and get better.” She’s “ready to play anywhere they need me to.”
Destiny Harris
Harris is the No. 5 ranked outfielder from Granby High School.
In addition to her top-notch fielding skills, she’s also widely known for her hitting.
In her junior year, Harris had a .468 batting average, 49 hits, including nine home runs, 36 runs and 24 stolen bases.
Harris committed to LSU because of its iconic outfield legacy.
“[Ciara] Briggs just got the golden glove. The Andrews sisters, they’re both top notch players, and they’re playing at the next levels as some of the best outfielders out there. I think that just shows how good LSU’s outfield program is,” Harris said.
She hopes to continue the legacy in her four years as a Tiger.
Alix Franklin
Franklin is LSU’s only commit from Louisiana.
The infielder from St. Amant High School led her high school team to back-to-back Louisiana 5A State Championships in 2022 and 2023 and is hoping to three-peat in 2024.
Tied as the No. 27-ranked prospect, Franklin is a solid addition to the Tiger’s lineup.
In her junior season, she ended with a .544 batting average, 56 runs, 49 hits and 22 home runs.
With her 4.0 GPA, Franklin is expected to be a reliable player for the Tigers.
